Comprehensive Immigration Reform: Benefits and Burdens

The benefits and burdens placed upon practitioners by the proposed Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act, also known as Comprehensive Immigration Reform, were discussed by the Immigration Law Committee at a lunch meeting on May 15th. Kristie Bowerman, Immigration & Nationality Law Group, explored the proposed overhaul of employment based immigration including an increase in the H-1B quota, the availability of employment-based immigrant visas, the ability to obtain employment authorization, and the creation of additional work visa classifications. Elaine Kimbrell, Ware Gasprian, addressed the merit based system of visa allotment and the new e-verify requirements. Hiroku Kusuda, Assistant Clinic Professor and Director of Immigration Law Section of Loyola University College of Law, rounded out the discussion by examining border security changes that involve the detention and removal of refugees/asylum seekers/stateless persons. This timely discussion of the legislation under consideration by the Congress was moderated by Brandon Davis, Immigration Law Committee Chair.